Sunday is January 1st and I’m itching to start something new. It’s that whole start of the new year, start of a new project thing. Apparently, I’m not the only one. This desire to knit something new for the new year is all over blogland. You know me, the proverbial lemming. Besides, I’m ready to have something on the needles besides socks and mittens.

So, I’ve got 2 different shawls I want to knit and I need to pick one. There’s the Flower Basket Shawl or there’s the Diamond Fantasy Shawl. I’ve got yarn for both. My buddy Jess is on board with me and is willing to start either one, too. So, I turn this over to you all, my faithful readers.

Pssst. Hey! Over here!! Look what I got yesterday.
You want some? C’mon, you know you do. You can get it here now.

Now, just so you don’t think it’s all about stash acquisition around here, I have been knitting. Look at this mitten!

I bought this kit from Nordic Fiber Arts at the suggestion of Kathy. This is my first attempt at 2 color knitting and I’m really loving it. I can’t seem to put the thing down. I tell myself, one more row and then I’ll stop, but then I keep going so I can see what happens next. I’m finding it very entertaining and, while I’m not sure what that says about me, at least I’m having a good time.

I had a great Christmas, and, from what I’ve been reading in blogland, so did manyothers. Our time on Christmas Eve with our family and friends was laid-back and fun. We had great food and lots of laughs and champagne punch. Christmas morning was spent opening gifts with the kids and I am a lucky knitter, indeed. Unlike someothers who didn’t receive any knitted related gifts, I scored. Dale got me a spinning stool and a WooLee Winder plus 3 knitting/spinning books. And, while I didn’t get any yarn, I did get a gift certificate to kpixie from my dear friend, Wendy.

Christmas afternoon we went to my brother-in-law’s house for dinner. We had a delicious meal of roast pork and scalloped potatoes and other goodies. We played Catch Phrase and had a Yankee Swap. But, the highlight of the day for me was this:
Yup, Jen and Barry had gifted her niece with a learn to knit kit and I got the privilege of teaching 10-year-old Emily how to knit. It was such fun! She took to it very quickly and spent the rest of the day carrying the knitting around with her and telling everyone how much fun knitting is! Woo and also hoo.

Another knitter is born. Now that’s a Christmas gift!

Edited to add: Emily is actually 7, not 10. An even younger knitter than I thought!

Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing
Let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace

And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas, Christmas everywhere

Indulge me, please, for those words are from the chorus of my favorite Christmas song. It’s Alan Jackson’s, Let It Be Christmas, and it’s quite special to Dale and I for a lot of reasons.
I wish you all a holiday full of happiness and blessings in whatever form you want them to appear.

And here we have Dale and Hannah rolling 6 pounds worth of Swedish Meatballs. Even more yummmmm.

Tomorrow night, Christmas Eve, will find us gathered with family and friends at our house. We will have some traditional Swedish foods, like the meatballs and sill and wasa crackers, plus other Christmas-type goodies. It’s low key and relaxing and I wouldn’t have it any other way.